M and S blames Brexit for fall in sales. What next?

From my personal experience M&S would sell more clothes if they actually stocked all the sizes. I have been unable to spend hundreds off pounds there because they never have whatever I want in my size, which is a 14. I despair of the place!

I very rarely go to M&S now having previously been a regular shopper there. I like to go in and if I want trousers I want to find them all in one place. Now you have to walk all over the store to find the different types in so called different departments by different designers and then likely as not they will not have my size and mostly I walk out frustrated.

And don't want to drip feed but why is it I cannot buy a lighter weight summer sweater (because of the awful weather) there? Its July 7th for goodness sake .Did get nice one in Laura A sale .It's not just M and S on this one ..
They need to get supply and demand sorted

Don't blame Brexit - blame the rubbish clothes, terrible colours. Blame tasteless food with no salt etc. Etc. Too soon to blame Brexit - what an asinine thought!

I was very fortunate this week. At their outlet centre clearance section all jeans, jumpers and dresses were £7.
I got 3 pairs of Roma fit (sit at the waist) tapered jeans , 2 shift dresses to wear with leggings or jeggings, (i don't normally do dresses) and a cotton/silk mix long sweater.
Total retail was well over £200.
My good fortune but it's not doing the M ans S income any favours.

They should 're focus on what they used to be good at Well cut good material basics and underwear And put all the trousers together,all the skirts etc
I think the weather does affect spending on summer clothes but not in Jan-March .
I have more than 30summer tops I think I have worn on about 5 occassions so far this year Why would I buy more ?Plus a lot of their current stuff is hořrible

I too used to be a big M&S fan but no more. They don't seem to appeal to any age group or size. So they need to look at themselves for answers.

I have also contacted them with 'advice'. One of my gripes is that the classic range tends to be unappealing and cheap looking. How could they have missed the fact that in recent years many 'slightly' older people have spending power, and would buy smarter, quality clothing than the range they offer. They haven't taken my advice on board, nor probably yours either. More fool them.

I would hate to see them doing the 'wrong thing' then....!

I have been searching, unsuccessfully, for some new clothes. Used to buy most things in M and S, but have not found anything i would be seen dead in fir about a year now, so imagine my delight yesterday when i found no less than four very nice tops, all reduced in their sale! Only snag was there must have been at least 50+ customers in the queue with only 5 staff serving! Since i injured my back, i cannot stand still for more than a few minutes, so i had to pit them back!

Unthinkable as it is, if they continue along their current strategy of so many different in-house brands, all with different sizing etc, which i find so confusing, with emphasis on younger styles and customers, neglecting the pleas of their loyal customers of many years, they will go the way of BHS and Woolworths! - and serve em right! Their food standards are dropping too, I bought a joint of pulled pork recently and it was like trying to chew string!! Threw it out, completely inedible and when i complained, it was implied that maybe i had not followed the instructions correctly, "as it is a very popular dish"!!!

I am off today and was landing to go to m&s don't think I'll bother now!!

Yes, I've fed back several times to an obviously disinterested person at the other end of a 'customer support line' !!

Just read in the Times Business section that 'M&S's drop in general merchandise sales in the 13 weeks to July 2nd (my emphasis) ...... so nothing to do with Brexit, as we already knew.

Steve Rowe, their new chief exec., goes on to say '....we think we are doing the right thing for our business and for customers'

Right.....????

Anya they must have some idea because I've contacted them on several occasions on their live chat line. To be fair, the person on the other end is merely a telesales advisor, but when I offer a suggestion or ask a question all I get is, "We have no intention of doing that at present," or "I understand your frustration, but you can order online" - NO, I want to go into a store and have the selection available to try on or feel the fabric etc. (Their website is atrocious anyway, compared with John Lewis.)

Like others have said, you give up eventually and don't go back for a long time, so it beats me why they try to find lame excuses for their slump in sales.

And as my daughter and DiL (early 40s) don't shop there, I wonder who their target group is?

Do M&S have any idea what we think of them? Do they care?

Last time I was in M&S there wasn't a single thing that I wanted to buy. I used to buy all my tee shirts there, but the ones on offer last month were of very poor quality. I also went to look at the lingerie, I don't know why I bothered, the night dresses were frumpy and old fashioned looking, and none were satin, only Jersey which is far too hot for me! It will be a long time before I go back.

N&G

Hey Stansgran, my sister is in Esh x

I had a quick look at the sale yesterday. I don't often wear skirts but I saw one I liked and tried it on. I was surprised when the size 16 was about 2" too small round the waist so checked it against a 14 and it was almost the same size. Naturally they hadn't got any 18s and the size 20 looked massive. If you can't rely on the sizing you're not going to buy. Also, in a shop the size of ours it would be nice to find more than one attractive garment!

I agree about finding underwear that matches. I gave up in their underwear section recently, went to Debenhams and found exactly what I wanted, nice quality and not so expensive as M&S. Like Anya, I also have a voucher which I intend to spend in the food hall before we go away. Should keep the poor dears afloat for a bit until we all disappear down the brexit plug hole!

It's why I avoid the store when I have DGS3 ... He has a penchant for wearing a ginormous bras on his head !!

Yes, true, either tiny or really ginormous bras!

They have their sales on in the Arnison centre. I always felt that if you have truly ginormous breasts then they have the bra for you. I'm always apologising to the enormous bosoms hanging beyond the rack when I go to find a matching set of tops and bottoms. They never ever have a matching set and if you ask the elusive floor staff can't imagine what you are talking about. I imagine the people of Durham all have orange knickers and purple bras.

Mind you, I have had 2 emails from a furniture retailer urging me to "buy now before Brexit price rises"

Anya that is where I would use it.

Well it makes a change from blaming Jeremy Corbyn. We usually blame things on our dog, Jack, who is now known as Jeremy-Jack.